A scene from ‘Periodical’

Hot Docs Review: ‘Periodical’ trades euphemisms for facts

‘Periodical’ is a factual and non-sexist representation of menstruation and menopause, examining the science, politics and mystery of the menstrual cycle.

The Period. Not the punctuation you find at the end of sentences, but the biological function every woman experiences at some point and potentially for the majority of their lives. Yet, we’re not supposed to talk about it. At some points in history and in certain cultures, women were not even allowed to leave the house if they were menstruating. To bleed from an intimate part of one’s body is simultaneously a rite of passage and a gross necessity that can be accompanied by any number of symptoms and complications. Periodical explores menstruation from numerous angles, creating greater comprehension and comfort with the subject via  period-positive language.

In a relatively short amount of time, this documentary provides an exceptionally detailed education on women’s biology. Unfortunately, sex education is no longer a priority in many school systems, leaving young women without the knowledge they need to understand their own bodies and counter the endless falsehoods that permeate popular culture. At the most rudimentary level, it teaches about physiology: identifying and naming body parts, describing the menstrual cycle, and encouraging women to become more familiar with their own bodies. At the other end of the spectrum, it dispels myths surrounding menopause, explains the dangers of endometriosis, and explores the pros and cons of menstrual-related technological advancements.

Whether you feel pretty in the know or that you have some holes in your knowledge, this is a must-see film that answers questions you may not have realized you needed to ask. Supplementing whatever instruction is provided by the school system, an educator uses diagrams, charts and models to give young women the vocabulary to understand their own bodies. In a class for older women, the teachings go beyond the basics, but still impart things they should probably know. The doctors, activists, celebrities and athletes in the film — including actress Naomi Watts and soccer player Megan Rapinoe — are very frank about their periods. Love them or hate them, they all got them… until they have to contend with menopause and all the negativity that surrounds it.

Notably, there’s a lot of humour involved as they talk about this topic that so many would never openly discuss. For instance, there’s a section that hypothesizes what it would be like if men had periods instead of women, and the results are both believable and ridiculous. There’s also a number of illustrations used to demystify some of the more complex biological concepts. Several advocates outline their efforts to pass basic laws in every state that will classify essential period products as tax-free. Most interestingly, while watching the documentary, one realizes it’s not only trying to spread good information, but it’s also normalizing these conversations so it becomes less uncomfortable to have them later and especially if/when it’s necessary.

Periodical had its international premiere in the Special Presentations programme at the Hot Docs Festival.

Read other reviews from the festival.

Director: Lina Plioplyte

Similar Posts

  • Review: ‘Banksy Does New York’ captures the chaos, good and bad (Includes first-hand account)

    When graffiti artist and political activist Banksy announced a one-month residency in New York, it immediately piqued people’s interest. It wouldn’t be the first time he created works overseas, but it would undoubtedly be the most anticipated. By broadcasting his arrival, Banksy was guaranteed an audience for his social commentary that would prove to be some of his most provocative statements to date. The documentary Banksy Does New York is not an authorized account of his visit, but rather a chronicle of how it was experienced by the city’s residents.

  • Review: ‘Deli Man’ is full of flavour and heart (Includes first-hand account)

    Food is not just a source of nourishment. It’s a way of life. It defines a culture and the people that belong to it. And of course, there’s a right way and a wrong way of doing it that is subject to change depending on the person performing the evaluation. Deli Man explores the rise of the delicatessen in New York and the rest of North America from the perspective of its purveyors and patrons.

  • Review: Hot Docs world showcase is a brief journey to the other side (Includes first-hand account)

    At Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, the world showcase programme shares stories from other countries that can be shocking and/or triumphant. Audiences may discover how differently people live in another country, or conversely how much they have in common. In the case of the documentaries discussed below, viewers may find inspiration in one man’s accomplishment, empathy for a woman’s circumstances and insight into a complex economic arrangement.

  • Review: ‘A Better Man’ is one of Hot Docs’ most stirring films (Includes first-hand account)

    At any given moment, approximately one-third of the women in a room will have experienced some form of abuse or trauma. This is a societal issue that does not appear to be going away and and in a culture that still asks what she did to cause it, self-blame and shame come part and parcel with the physical and/or emotional scars. But there are multiple avenues of support now and many opportunities to heal, though one never really forgets. In A Better Man, more than 20 years after ending their abusive relationship, a couple is reunited to process all that occurred between them.

  • Review: ‘The Divergent Series’ sacrifices ‘Allegiant’ for the big picture (Includes first-hand account)

    Movie franchises based on a collection of books are often akin to a big-budget television miniseries in that all of the parts come together to comprise the whole. The ending of one film informs the beginning of the next and removing an episode throws the whole narrative into disarray (in the good series anyway). The key difference is successive parts are released annually rather than weekly, extending the wait between significant plot developments. The downside of this structure in movies is the penultimate chapter is often positioned as little more than a setup for the epic conclusion. The Divergent Series: Allegiant is the third picture in a four-part series.